This book is a detailed and fascinating account of how ministers and generals scrapped Sweden s traditional invasion defence and turned it into an active player in international affairs. Episodes include the creation of the first Nordic Battle Group, how strategy challenged the mighty defence industry and the controversies in government over the war in Afghanistan. Based on in-depth interviews and first-hand sources, this book provides a unique insight into the deliberations and struggles of one of the most dramatic reform periods in Swedish history.

Magnus Christiansson is associate lecturer at the Swedish Defence University. His main research interests are transatlantic security, Baltic Sea security and civil-military relations.